Garden Re-Leaf Day 2023, on Friday 24th March was a huge success with hundreds of people from across the industry and across the country taking part to gain publicity for the start of the gardening season and to FUNdraise for the Greenfingers Charity.  Over £50,000 has been raised so far with the total growing hour by hour.

Greenfingers Charity Fundraising Director, Linda Petrons, told GTN Xtra: "What an incredible Garden Re-Leaf Day 2023 has been and what a roller coaster of emotions so many of us have been on over the last few days!  Seeing 100 walkers, 4 runners and 15 cyclists set off from Tring Garden Centre, to hearing how our incredible volunteer Ambassadors, Jane Lawler, William Armitage, Jenny Douthwaite and Martin Cowell, saw 28 walkers set off from a brand-new walk-in Holmfirth has been simply amazing. We really can’t thank Jane enough for putting this brand-new Garden Re-Leaf Day event on the calendar!

"Over 100 garden centres and suppliers across the UK have held a fabulous range of events; there have been quiz nights, donations from every planter and cuppa sold, raffles, tombolas, bikeathons, head shaves and teams going Green for Greeenfingers.  There have been virtual plant sales, delicious cake sales in offices, car washes and so much more besides. 

"Thank you so much to every single person and every business who has gone the extra s-mile to get involved this year.  Your support has been humbling, fantastic and so very much appreciated.  The money you have raised will for sure see the next Greenfingers garden become a reality! Thank you from us all at Greenfingers Charity."

Boyd Douglas-Davies, the founder of Garden Re-Leaf Day, who set the walkers off at the first ever Northern sponsored walk for Garden Re-Leaf Day and then drove to Tring to see the walkers home at the southern event said: "I'm so grateful to the whole industry for taking my little idea and making it in to a massive event. I never thought, back in 2011, when I launched the idea at GIMA awards that it would have grown so well. 

"Talks, nursery tours, schools planting, gardens being refurbished, crowds walking, riding and running, choirs singing, curry & quiz nights,  raffles, bake offs.... the list goes on and on!!!

"Amazing!!!!"

See the stories below for photos from the southern and northern events and watch this space for details of other FUNdraising events that took place on Garden Re-Leaf Day 2023.